2RDR Ep09 After The Rain
by Lantana75
Summary: In the 1970's the Marstons see America accepting more opportunities for women and girls; they also see that their upcoming "twilight years" may not be all wonderful
1. Chapter 1

Summer of 1972

"Gramma! Pappa! Guess what? Girls can go now, too!"

Eleven-year-old Vada Kempton, the daughter of Angela, came running to the front porch with a sheet of paper in her hand.

"Girls can go where now?," Jack asked as he accepted the paper Vada handed him. He read it and smiled. "Girls can run in the Soap Box Derby races now," he told Irene.

"Mom and Dad said we can build me a car," Vada said, excited. "Can we do it here? You have a big workshop in the back."

"I haven't used that shed since Pa died," Jack said. He sighed and looked at Irene. "I'll help her with it," he said. He looked at Vada. "We'll build a winning car, hot-shot," he smiled at her.

As promised, Jack helped Vada build the car in the workshop. The large box and instructions had been delivered to the gates of the farm and the day after Jack promised to help.

Vada asked Jack many questions about her grandparents while they worked. She was curious, since there were books and movies about them and people still talked about them.

"My grandfather was killed in a bar-fight," Jack said. "Maybe over cards or over a woman. My grandmother died in childbirth with my father. They didn't have the medical knowledge we have now and that sometimes happened. She didn't even get to name my Pa. The orphanage named him. The state made it official. That's why Pa and I didn't have middle names. Once it became a problem, the state gave us the middle name David."

"John David," Vada said. "I like that."

Jack smiled. "The things you hear about your great-grandfathers are all mixed up," he went on, seriously. "Some is true. Some are only lies. I don't know where the lies came from. Most are probable from people who claim they knew my father or knew your grandmother's father and made up lies to try to make people think it was true."

"Like when people lie and say they know famous people?," Vada asked. "A guy at school said that his mom once dated Elvis."

Jack laughed. "Exactly so," he replied. "Your great-grandfather was indeed a thief, but he thought he was doing the right thing. They used the money to help people."

"Like Robin Hood?," Vada asked.

Jack nodded thoughtfully and said, "Somewhat." Jack moved to get comfortable as he and the girl continued to work. He flung his long ponytail behind him and continued to follow the instructions. "When I was about your age, Pa got shot in a robbery attempt on a ferry," Jack told Vada. "The people he thought were his friends left him to die. When he recovered, he took us all away from the gang. We lived in hiding near Rathskeller Fork for about two years. When I was thirteen, he bought this land and we moved here."

"Gramma said you had a sister," Vada said.

"Charlotte," Jack recalled. "She died right before Pa bought this place. We had buried her there, but I had her moved here about a decade ago so she could be with family. That's also why your gramma wanted her father moved here. Beecher's Hope is our home and we plan to keep it in the family for as long as we're here."

Vada nodded. "When I am grown up, I will make sure nobody takes it away," she promised.

"That's what I hope, Vada," Jack said.

"What happened after you moved here?," Vada asked. "All Mom said was that it was really bad for you."

"It was," Jack replied.

At the door of the workshop, Irene leaned against the wall and listened to the conversation. Jack had never really been able to talk about his days of captivity at the hands of the corrupt officials. What would he tell Vada?

"For awhile, everything was OK," Jack told Vada, unaware of Irene's presence. "Then, when I was sixteen, two federal men came and took my mother and me. They took all of us to the government building and told my father they were sending him on important business. Then, they took all of us to Horizon Hills, the island owned by the state government for some reason. They told my father that my mother and I would have stay at the island until he did as they wanted. He was only supposed to be gone for a few days, but it was almost three months. Then, one evening, we were returned to the farm. An hour later, Pa got home."

"What did he do?," Vada asked.

"The federals sent Pa to go after the bad men he was once friends with so they could face justice," Jack replied. "I don't know the entire story. Pa didn't want me to think about it. But, I know that Ma was afraid that he had returned to that life. But he loved us too much. I was moody when he got home. I was glad he was home, but was always afraid that he would leave again; and if that happened again, he would not come back, or he would come back dead. I even tried to prove myself to him by doing something really stupid. I tried to hunt a bear alone. I was sixteen and I didn't have the hunting experience. Pa had to come. I could have been killed." Jack's smile vanished.

"Is that when Great-Grandpa died?," Vada asked.

"No," Jack replied. "That happened almost a week later. The federals brought in soldiers to kill him. Pa defended us the best he could. When we got to the barn, he got me a horse and put both ma and me on it. He told me to get someplace safe. When we got some distance from the farm, we heard heavy gunfire. We came back and my father was dead." Jack sighed. "He gave his life to keep me safe," he said. "I only hope he died knowing that I loved him."

"I think he did," Vada said. She put down the paintbrush she was using to paint her car and went to Jack and hugged him. He hugged Vada, believing she was right. The words of a child can mean so much more than those of a king, a president, or a celebrity. "You're a good grandpa," Vada went on. "Mom said you've always been a good daddy and that you are a good person. Your daddy would be happy if he knew."

"Thank you, Vada," Jack replied.

That night, Jack watched television with Vada. She laid across the sofa with her head in his lap. Irene walked in. "She's asleep," she told her husband. Vada was fast asleep.

"Jack, can we talk?," Irene asked. "She can sleep in Kassidy's old bedroom."

"Yeah," Jack replied. He picked up Vada and carried her to the bedroom and laid her onto the bed. He put a blanket over her, kissed her cheek, and left the room. He turned off the lights as he closed the door.

Jack was now seventy-eight and Irene was now seventy-six. They were proud grandparents of Vada and her brother, Justin. Vada was eleven and Justin was eight. Justin was also blind. Doctors had realized it only moments after he was born.

On the front porch, Jack and Irene sat down on the swing.

"What is it?," Jack asked.

"Jack, I heard some of what you told Vada," Irene said. "I have never asked you until now. Will you tell me exactly what happened on Horizon Hills?"

Jack inhaled sharply. After a moment, he nodded. "The worst three months of my life," Jack said as he took Irene by the hand. He clung to her hand in both of his hands. "They treated us like we didn't even deserve to breath. They knew what my mother had once been and they made attempts at her. She was a strong woman, though, and she fought them off every time. There were guards who were assigned to keep me in their sights. They actually thought I would try to swim back to Blackwater and go find my pa. I would have, if I could swim. They were obnoxious and bullied me like teenagers. There were a few nice ones, though. A few even talked to me nicely and told me stories." Jack scoffed. "I actually once wanted to be a fed," he said. "Then, they betrayed Pa and I knew I would never trust those bastards again."

"But, they never actually hurt you?," Irene asked. "As in, hit you?"

"One man got angry at me and raised a hand at me," Jack replied. "But another man caught his hand. Said I was just a kid and they couldn't leave any physical marks on me. They would have to explain the bruises. After that, nobody else ever tried to hit me. But, they didn't get much nicer."

Irene squeezed Jack's hands in hers. "Jack, that was so long ago," she said. "You need to find a way to get past it. I want the last years of your life to be happy."

Jack hugged Irene very tightly against his chest. With one hand, he played with her hair and clung her against him with the other arm. "I love you so much, Irene," he said. "Every day, I am so thankful that you came onto Beecher's Hope that day." He squeezed her against himself again and kissed her head.

Irene put her arms around Jack and held onto him. She would do anything for him.

Over the next few days, Jack and Vada continued to build the car for the big race. Vada was so excited. Vada, with big brown eyes and dark brown hair, was a tomboy like Irene. She played with Hot Wheels toy cars, toy electric trains, and other toys that were considered for boys. She seldom played with dolls of any kind.

Jack and Irene were also teaching Vada how to shoot guns. Even though people were no longer carrying guns all over, the couple felt that anyone should know how to handle a gun safely. They didn't want their family to be an accident waiting to happen.

Vada came running into the house, where Irene and Angela were sitting in the living room and talking. "Mom! Gramma! It's finished!"

Vada grabbed her mother's hands and pulled her outside. Irene followed. In the yard was the car, painted blue and yellow. It looked great.

"The race is next week," Angela told her parents. "She wants everyone there."

"Count me in," Irene smiled.

Angela took Vada home a short time later. Jack put the car into the workshop.

"Do you think there will be a lot of girls racing next week?," Jack asked. "Seriously?"

"Who knows, Jack?," Irene replied. "Things are changing. More women are doing things we always thought were for men to do. They're becoming doctors, lawyers, police officers, and so on. The country has moved a long way since you and I were children."

"It has," Jack agreed. "Look, I support women wanting to work in these careers. But how far does it go? Will men be nurses next? Or secretaries? Or even stay-at-home dads?"

"Who knows?," Irene said. "But I bet all that will happen very soon."

Jack thought about that. He was not sure how he felt about that reply.

After supper, Irene quickly cleaned up while Jack looked after the horses and dogs outside.

Irene really hoped that the country did keep moving in the same direction for women. After all, just what was it that kept all this from happening in the first place?

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	2. Chapter 2

The Blackwater Soap Box Derby was in full swing. As Irene had hoped, there were indeed many girls. The news that girls were now allowed to race had been celebrated by girls all over the country. Many boys, however, were not at all happy. A few were even bullies and said rude things to the girls who were there to race.

Jack was displeased that these parents just were not teaching their children properly. Jack had been ostracized in school and in public most of his childhood because of who his parents were. People saw him only as a "whore's son" and not a child with feelings. Even now, Jack did not have many friends. Irene didn't have many friends, either. They were pleased that their children and grandchildren all had friends.

Jack pushed Vada's car to the starting line and stayed with her as she put on her helmet. "Don't worry too much about winning, Vada," Jack told his granddaughter. "Just have fun. All right? Promise me."

"I promise," Vada replied. Jack hugged her. She climbed into the car and put on her seat belt. Jack, along with the other adults, moved off the road and joined the audience.

When the race started, Vada fell into second place. But, she was behind another girl.

"Go, Vada!," Angela called.

Everyone cheered for their competitor and watched as the ten-second race came to an end. Vada finished second.

"Our winner is Jessica Walker," the announcer said. "Second is Vada Kempton. And third is Jacob Cooper."

Everyone clapped and cheered.

The family returned to Beecher's Hope for the evening and had a barbeque. The weather was beautiful.

Vada watched the horses in the paddock. "When are you gonna teach me to ride a horse?," Vada asked Jack as he leaned on the fence.

"You wanna learn how to ride?," Jack asked.

"Yeah," Vada said. "I wanna go riding with Grandma sometimes. I know she likes to ride in Tall Trees."

"We'll both teach you soon," Jack told Vada. "And Justin, also. Right now, it's too late to do anything." He yawned. "Except go to bed and get some sleep," he said with a smile.

After Angela and Kevin took their children home, Jack and Irene went to bed early. They were tired. The couple slept in the next day, the first time they had ever done so. They had both grown up in a society when it was said that only lazy people slept past sunrise.

Right now, neither one cared. The previous day had been wonderful for them. They deserved a late morning. Jack and Irene spent the day relaxing. Irene took a ride in Tall Trees. She and Jack then took a walk along the river. The old trail that they both remembered was still there and still walked by many people quite a bit. People jogged on it, walked their dogs on it, and rode bicycles on it. Irene wondered why it had not yet been paved or re-surfaced in some way.

Jack and Irene had never learned to ride a bicycle. Their children had learned from other people, so they were able to teach their own children when they were old enough.

Jack and Irene had both had few, if any, toys throughout their childhood years. Jack had read a lot as a child. He didn't seem to enjoy that much anymore now. Irene had once read a little, but was actually reading more now. She liked true-crime books.

Jack and Irene were both doing well with the changes in the world that were taking place. Even the changes they hated, they accepted as a sign of changing times. Yet, they still missed their familiar ways. They missed their guns, horses, and public hangings. They sometimes wanted all that back.

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	3. Chapter 3

Jack watched as Vada rode Hooligan, an Appaloosa gelding, around Beecher's Hope. He instructed her gently from time to time. She seemed to have a talent for horses. She was talking about taking up show jumping, though nobody in her family knew how to ride English. Jack and Irene had indeed seen a few people riding English saddles when they were young. However, they had never sought to learn it.

The Western saddle had been designed by cowboys. The saddle horn was to secure a rope to when they needed to chase down stray cattle, which are called stragglers. The English saddle had no saddle horn. The British did not keep cattle like Americans had. They had kept cattle penned up almost all the time and moved them by railroad. They didn't rope cattle or have a "wild West" like America did. Therefore, they had designed a smaller saddle and rode a little differently.

There were riding schools in the area, but Jack and Irene and their families could not afford the high-priced lessons.

Irene came up with a solution. She drove to the stables one day and asked to see the owner.

"I can ride, groom, teach, and do almost anything that needs to be done with horse ownership," Irene told the woman. "The only think I don't do is shoeing and I am not a vet. I am asking for an exchange rather than a real job. I will work here in exchange for lessons for my granddaughter."

Knowing who Irene was, the woman hired her with the agreement.

Vada was ecstatic. She learned really fast and loved the jumping. Jack didn't see what the big deal was. It didn't look so great. Then again, Jack had grown up in an era where horses were common and were the main means of transportation. Although Irene had also grown up the same way, she enjoyed riding her horse in Tall Trees and was now enjoying teaching people how to ride. Even though people did not rely on horses anymore, they were still loyal and loving and great stress relievers. Jack sometimes didn't see why he still owned any horses. Yet, he was still used to hunting on horseback and still did so.

Vada loved both styles of riding and was having fun with Jack as he taught her how to ride Western. They went on rides in Tall Trees and he took her along for a few hunting trips. They were bonding and they were both very happy about it. They were two peas in a pod.

Angela was happy that her father seemed to happy. She loved when her daughter went to see him. She knew that her parents took good care of the girl and loved her. They treated her like a little princess. Yes, they did spoil her just a little. But, isn't that what grandparents are supposed to do?

The family, including Irene, could see Jack seemed even happier. He seemed to be less depressed and less angry. Irene was happy to see that. Their granddaughter was working wonders with him.

Irene and Angela went out to lunch at a restaurant one afternoon, as they did every week.

"Mom, you and Dad will love this," Angela said. "Vada has to do a paper in school on who she admires the most. Vada is choosing to do a paper on Dad. She has to tell them why she admires him so much. She said she'll tell them he is very nice, he loves her, and he teaches her to do fun things. She said she loves that he encourages her so much rather than agreeing with the mainstream. You remember how he was behind her all the way when she wanted to do the Soap Box Derby. Most parents were not so happy to let the girls do it."

"Yes, I remember all the complaints," Irene said. "I like that women and girls are now proving they do anything men can do. And that will keep going forward throughout the years. I want you, Vada, and any future daughters and granddaughters you have to keep that pushing forward. Don't let anyone keep you from following your dreams."

"I hear you, Mom," Angela replied.

Every decade was showing massive improvement in equal rights, both for race and gender. That was a good thing, Irene believed. She always believed that everyone was equal. We all have the same red blood, breathe the same air, and eat the same food. Why did we ever treat anyone as being so different?

Irene knew that the road to equality for all races and both genders was still rocky and there would still be many roadblocks to knock down along the way.

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	4. Chapter 4

February of 1973

"The prosecutors have refused to charge this man with the murder of Wesley Bad Heart Bull," the news broadcast reporter said as Jack and Irene relaxed after eating supper one night. "The American Indian Movement says they plan to protest and make their voice heard. The mother of the victim, Sarah Bad Heart Bull, is currently awaiting sentencing in the arson of the court-house and inciting a riot."

"This is awful," Irene said. "A white man stabs an Indian to death in front of sixteen witnesses and prosecutors say it was an accident?"

"They just gave me another reason not to trust them," Jack said, as if he knew this was going to happen. "Pa said most of the people he had trouble with were white. He told me that when he was a boy, the government put Indian children in boarding schools, forced them to be Catholic, beat them if they spoke their language, and refused to allow them to go home until they were eighteen. He told me he tried to get some professor from Yale to understand that. This professor was so sure that the Indians were savages and not at all good people. He told me to understand that they were here before we were. This was their land for hundreds of years and our ancestors stole it from them and put them on reservations. Now, there are no more Yahi Indians left."

"I remember the newspapers when Ishi died," Irene recalled.

"That's why I didn't want our kids playing Cowboys-And-Indians," Jack said. "I think it was right that we taught them the truth."

"I agree," Irene said.

Jack and Irene hated when anyone was mistreated. Every time Jack heard of the government attempting to indoctrinate children, it kicked up his anger at them more. It seemed his trust of the government could not get any lower.

"We taught the kids well, Jack," Irene said. "We did all we could."

Jack nodded. "Yeah," he said. "I know we did."

"Vada wants to write about you for her school project," Irene told her husband. "Her class is to write a paper on who they admire the most and she chose you."

Jack smiled.

"You can use this to help some people see the truth," Irene added.

Jack sighed and nodded. "People already have their ideas of what the truth is," he said. "They do the same thing with Billy The Kid, Jesse James, and all these other famous outlaws."

"That will never change, Jack," Irene said. "And I know that you are perfectly aware of that. I hear those tourists when they come to see the place. They have pieces of the truth and pieces of lies. We've done all we can to try to get the truth known. We went on TV talk shows, wrote books, and did anything else we could think of."

"Mass media can be a pain," Jack said.

"Amen to that," Irene said.

Irene and Jack hated how certain people were treated by reporters and journalists. They abused that "freedom of the press" item in the constitution. They made their own assumptions and tried to force their viewers and readers to agree with them.

Angela went to the school to see how Vada did with her report.

"The person I most admire is my grandfather, Jack Marston," Vada read. "His full name is John David Marston Junior. He was born in eighteen-ninety-four. His father was once a Wild West outlaw, but later changed to be a farmer and not hurt anyone anymore. He taught my grandpa to be good to people. My grandpa never hurts people. He used to bring in bad people to the law so they could face justice for what they did. That's called a 'bounty hunter' and he doesn't do it anymore. He loves my grandma and his whole family. He is now teaching me how to ride a horse and he helped me make a car for the Soap Box Derby. He also came to see me race. He was proud of me, even though I did not win. He told me it was more important to have fun than to win. He takes me horse-riding in Tall Trees and once took me hunting. But I only watched. He once had to hunt all the time because of the Depression and food was too expensive. Now, my grandpa is seventy-nine, but he seems to be so much younger. He has brown eyes and long hair and he still dresses almost like the old west. It's what he likes. He hates when people are cruel or lazy. He wakes up at dawn and goes to bed right after the news. He did not have a TV when he was a kid. He also did not have many toys because his family could not afford it. He used to like to read when he was a kid. He also liked to hunt with his father. When my Aunt Kassidy was a baby, she was kidnapped. Daddy looked for her himself and got her back. He also saved my mom from a bad man who tried to hurt her one day. He also kept people from taking away my grandma. I want to marry a man who is just like him one day. I know that man will love me and our kids and protect us."

The children applauded. Angela smiled and mouthed the words "I am so proud of you" to Vada. The other children gave their reports and were applauded one-by-one.

After school, Angela took Vada to Beecher's Hope so they could read the paper. They were both happy about it.

"This Saturday, we'll go get you something special," Jack told Vada. He hugged her and kissed her head. "You're the best granddaughter a person could have. I love you all." He looked at Irene. "And, you all really have given me a reason to live, Irene," he said. "I really believe I would not be here if it weren't for all of you."

Irene hugged Jack tightly. "I could never live without you, Jack," she said. "You really are a good person and you have many people who need you to hang around as long as God allows you to."

"I plan on it," Jack promised.

Saturday afternoon, Jack took Vada to a pet store in Blackwater. She looked around, happy and excited. She picked out a black Scottish Terrier puppy. "I like this one," Vada smiled.

Jack picked up the puppy and handed it to Vada. "We want this one," he told the man.

At Beecher's Hope, Vada showed the puppy to her parents and Irene. "This is Trixie," she said. "Isn't she cute?"

"You got her a dog?," Angela asked.

"A puppy," Vada corrected.

"That will grow into a dog," Angela added. She smiled. "Yes, you can keep it. But, you are taking care of it. You're walking it, feeding it, and all that. Understood?"

"I can do it, Mom," Vada said. "Just watch me."

Vada was thrilled that she had a pet. She loved animals.

As Irene and Jack went to bed that night, Irene had to ask. "Why did you get her a puppy?"

"She wanted one," Jack replied with a smile. "Didn't you see how happy she was?"

"She sure was," Irene replied. "It was better than Christmas for her today."

"I want my family to be happy," Jack replied. "And that was damn well worth it."

"I agree," Irene replied. "I want our family to be happy, too; but not to spoil them."

"I know that," Jack said. "We never did spoil our kids."

"I know," Irene agreed. "They know about hard work and they know that sometimes we don't get what we want."

"That's life," Jack said.

Jack and Irene knew better than many people that life was seldom fair and that life could be very painful. Yet, they also knew that life could be wonderful and full of joy.

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